It is getting to be my favorite time of year again. The following excerpt contains bits of my favorite things about the fall season:
Cassandra continued to chit-chat in a lively manner. She planned on going shopping at Macy’s the next day. Apparently there was a good sale on skirts and blouses, and she needed a new purse. She was thinking about going to a pumpkin festival afterward if it wasn’t raining. There was a craft show there that she enjoyed visiting.
Nathan momentarily became distracted by the image she conjured in his mind. He could hardly think of a prettier sight to see than Cassandra browsing along the booths of a festival, buttoned up in her gleaming leather coat on a brisk, sunny autumn afternoon.
He would be exhilarated to simply watch her and for a split second he considered driving to the festival just to spy on her.
No other woman ever inspired such behavior in him before. He was very much a gentleman who was conscious of the regular social boundaries. If anything, he was not aggressive enough about pursuing women, but there was something about Cassandra that made him practically want to stalk her.
He reminded himself again that she was utterly unavailable and very much deserving of his respect.
“Do you have any plans for tomorrow?” she asked him.
“No. I’ll probably just watch some movies or something,” he answered.
“Maybe you should come out to the pumpkin festival!” she suggested in a chipper tone.
“What?” he stammered, clearing his throat nervously.
Could she read his mind?
“You might find some new Halloween decorations for your house. It is a big place, but who knows, you might see me there!”
He glanced at her incredulously. Was she teasing him? Her expression conveyed nothing but blithe wholesomeness so he couldn’t tell.
“Yeah. I don’t know, Mrs. Harper. I’ll see what’s going on tomorrow,” he chuckled nervously.
“Well, if you decide that you want to come I promise to I’ll be wearing this same coat. A woman with red hair in a shiny black leather coat shouldn’t be too hard to find in the crowd,” she pointed out.
No doubt! He would spot her from a hundred yards away with one eye shut! The unintentional innuendo of her words made him stiffen and squirm.
“So! What are you going to do all week while Marvin is gone?” he blurted, desperate to change the overly-provocative subject.
“Oh! I have plenty to keep me busy. I have an appointment at the beauty parlor on Monday to get my hair and nails done. My bridge club is having a luncheon on Tuesday and I have a society meeting Thursday afternoon. Otherwise I will be in my kitchen canning raspberry preserves and baking pumpkin pies!” she explained.
“I shall make you a pie and a couple jars of my best jam for driving me home tonight.”
“You don’t have to do that Mrs. Harper,” he assured her, shaking his head modestly.
“I insist! And I will deliver them to you personally!” she declared.
“You know the rumors would fly if you gave me anything at the office,” he cautioned.
“Oh, I would not bring them to the office! I will deliver them to your front door!” she persisted in her genuine way.
“Perhaps Marvin and I will stop over on Halloween night! I would be delighted to see your decorations, but you must promise not to put me in your gibbet cage for being a witch!”
“I don’t think Marvin would let me put you in a cage!” he laughed.
“If he knew what was good for him... he might!” she chattered playfully.
She smiled at him congenially and he continued to laugh at her remark. The prospect of Mrs. Harper showing up at his door dressed as a leather-coated witch made him anticipate Halloween more than ever!
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